• Joining the Summer Reading Challenge is easy and free. If you are ordering books by email please let us know the children that are taking part so that we can register them. If you send us a paper order form then please tell us on the back of the form. When you return books let us know which books each child has read so that we can prepare their prizes with your next order (they get prizes for every two books they read) All children welcome – if you are not a member of the library we will enrol you !
• As well as registering with us, children can sign up and create their own profile at www.sillysquad.org.uk

Following recent clarification by the government of the rules for operating “click & collect” during the Corona Virus lockdown, we feel able to offer a book ordering / collection scheme to our readers.

We have a library full of amazing books and we are sure you are all desperate for a good read, including many of our older readers who are going to have to self-isolate for an extended period.

We are starting a new book ordering / collection service, to get these books to our many readers including those in self-isolation.

We will not be delivering books because of the health risks involved, but they can be collected at prearranged time slots from the library and those in self-isolation can ask a carer, friend or neighbour, to pick them up for them

So how will it work – firstly you will have to choose your books. You can access our catalogue online plus a listing of our book purchases for 2019/20 here: Library book catalogue

Once you have chosen your books you can then fill this form out with your choices: Order Form   At the top right hand side of the page you can either use the print icon to print out a copy of the form, or the download icon to download a copy in Word format and email it to us or drop it through the library letterbox. Blank forms will also be available for collection from the porch outside the library anytime.

Books will be ready for collection from the library 48 hours after we receive your request, but please tell us the day you are collecting so that we make sure we have your order ready.

From a safety point of view, orders will be collected from the front of the library, or if a nice day, a table on the pavement. Returns will be placed in a tray and will be quarantined for 72 hours before being returned to the library shelves. Users will not be able to enter the library and browse the shelves during this emergency.

We will be open for collections Tuesday – Saturday between 3.00-4.00pm.

This offer is open to everyone even if you are not a current member of the library – If you are not a member, we will have to ask you for a bit more information with your initial request so that we can issue you with a library card.

Finally, we want to try and get to as much of the community as possible some of whom won’t have access to the internet.

Please pass this offer onto your friends and neighbours, and help those who are less computer savvy to take advantage of it.

You can get in touch with us by email with any questions, queries or suggestions as to how we can make this offer even better.

UPDATE Garden Suburb Community Library has had a very successful launch of our click and collect book collection scheme, but we have found that a number of our older readers are having problems accessing our website and catalogue http://gardensuburblibrary.org.uk/gscl/

If you would like to order books but are having trouble selecting them please call us between 2.00-3.30pm Tuesday - Saturday at the library and we will help you with your selection 020 8458 3301, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. anytime.

Sing Song time recorded at Garden Suburb Community Library
Virginia has run an amazingly successful Sing Song Time at Garden Suburb Community Library on Thursdays, for a number of years

Especially for the many children confined to their homes for the foreseeable future Virginia recorded a special Sing Song Time just for you !

You can access it here: Sing Song time recorded at Garden Suburb Community Library

For those reading this who are not members of the library, it is based in a very special area – Hampstead Garden Suburb in North West London. The library is run by 40 volunteers.

Virginia would be delighted if you would pass this link on to friends and family and do post it on social media

Virginia would also love to receive feedback either by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on through Facebook @gardensuburbcommunitylibrary or Twitter @HGScLibrary

Sadly, following government advice we will, in view of the Corona Virus outbreak suspend all our activities and close the library from this Tuesday 17^th March.

This means that until further notice there will be no more children’s activities on Tuesday and Thursday, also the book club, knitting group and police surgeries will not run whilst we are closed.

Users with books they would like to renew or return should do the following:

Returning books – most books will fit through our letterbox so please post them through there and we will make sure they are taken off your account and returned to stock. Please keep any larger hardback books until we reopen.

Renewing books – you have a number of alternatives

1. You can renew them online through our website http://gardensuburblibrary.org.uk/gscl/ When logging onto your account your username is your library card number and your password is your date of birth in the format DDMMYY - Once logged in, click ‘Account’ towards the top to access your borrowed books.
2. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will renew them for you.
3. Call 020 8458 3301 and leave a message – we will try & deal with messages on a daily basis

If you have queries, would like further information or to discuss anything else please do either email us or call the above number and we will get back to you.

We are sorry to have to let our lovely loyal users down and hope that we will be able to reopen shortly. When we have further news about reopening, we will issue a newsletter, use social media and put notices in the library windows.

The Library Team

FREE TODDLER FUN AT THE COMMUNITY LIBRARY

On Thursdays we run two sessions of Sing Song Time, 10 - 10:30am and 10:45 to 11:15am. Sing Song Time is a first library activity for under threes and their carers.  The aim is for the children to join in the singing, as well as have fun. We sing familiar songs every week and the children are encouraged to join in both the music and movement, gradually building up their confidence.

On Tuesday we run Story / Song Time from 10:15 to 10:45am. We welcome toddlers and their carers into a warm, friendly group. We provide rhythm and rhyme making activities alongside both new and familiar songs, and an introduction into the world of exciting and boundless stories beyond home provision.

Come and join us for some fun with your little ones !